Buckle



Patented Sept. 4, 1945 UN ITE D-- STATQES PAT .OFF/l :2,384,197l f j i Y I BUCKLE...

RudolphE. Schreiber,Chicago,V Ill'. Application May :3, 1943, serial No. 485,543 t 3 Claimsf` (o1. 24-`186 L The' invention` relates to improvements" in@ buckles and more particularly to a plastic buckle having novel means to *berengaged by a hook` ele`4 ment in a manner to Aprevent transverseshifting of said hook.

Most known types of bucklesusually are made of metal and have movable tongues hingedlyv` connected to a cross-bar lforfengaging inlopen-i ings inone end of an associatedstrip when thelilatter is threaded therethrough. In use, such buckles are' attached, either 'permanently'orf demountably; by means' ofi-thefcross-bantdtheother end of said strip. In the event offa defLi l mountable attachment, the said otheror '-at= tache'd end of the strip carries a suitablehook ele-*v ment arranged to `engage over the cross-bar. Obviously,

any shifting of the lhook-element`-i pearance in the strip and bu'cklewhen'fnally' assembled, due to misalignment of lthe *overlap* ping edges.

Known typesl ofbuckleshaving movable crossbars with integral or attached tonguesfpresentI formed parts.

It is, therefore, an'object of -thepresent inven-e tion -to provide a one-piece buckle witha rigid30 tongue andk cross-bar wherein thelatter'is particularly suited to be engaged by a hook'elern'ent and prevent shifting ofthe-hook transversely:

Another Objectis to provide the cross-bar of a buckle with novel means to prevent transverse shifting of an associated hook element.

Another object is to provide a buckle with a novelly mounted tongue-carrying cross-bar.

Another object is to provide a resiliently flexible buckle with deformable journals to facilitate mounting of a rotatable cross-bar.

The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specication; in which reference is had t0 the accompanying drawing; wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a belt having one embodiment of the improved buckle associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the buckle shown in Fig. 1, attached to one end of the belt.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational View of the buckle shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line '4I-4 Yof `Fi`gf'2, showing :the beltV threaded4 into place.V

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of a modied-i formV of buckle.

Fig; .7 is fa View. similarttozFig56, :showingthe' cross-barf Vpositioned "form insertion` into "the journal f The buckle illustrated in Figs;` v1 tolli, inclusive',` .f may consist of-a substantially rectangular `frame l havingltransverse endyportionsll and- I2y and`V connected'flongitudinaliside portions-:Hand I4: 'I `Side portion-s I3 andvHI may be bowed -longitudi-f nally in the mannerm'fi'conventionalbuckles, as .i

best illustrated in Fig'l 4, therebydisposing its end portionsl IIand I2 rearwardly of the plane of its medial portions Theopening within the buckle'' "frame, 'generallyiindicated at I 5,# is bisectedby =a f transverse'cross-barr'I6 whichjasshown, is in-v f tegral 4at its ends `wit-hlthe respective side por# tions I3`and Hand-preferably is disposed rear-f` wardly of f the"plane"of the front lframe.`

The transverse cross-bar--YIGvhas anvv integral tongue I'I LTwhich extends from-one side substanl tially at '-righti anglesthereto longitudinally-of therbuckle frame and substantially'midwaybe-1V tWeenthe'side `portions'fIB and I4. The tongue pletely bridges the portion of the opening jI-5 be tweenthe' cross-barjIS' and the respect-ive end portionjiIZ 'ofthe' frame? lAsisho'wn,thefrere end of thertongue necessarily' is partially disposed out of the plane of the frame end portion I2 and has its free tenminal spaced forwardly of but slightly overlapping the front face of said frame end. The gap I8 between the free terminal of the tongue and the frame end portion I2 preferably is suiiciently wide to permit threading of the free end I9 of the associated belt therethrough. It may be desirable to suitably recess or notch that portion of the frame end I2 immediately adjacent' the tongue terminal, as at 2|, to increase the effective width of the gap I 8 so as to accommodate belts having eyelets in the openings therein.

The other end 22 of the belt may be fixedly secured to the cross-bar I6 but in this instance it carries a hook element 23 having spaced apart hook portions 24 arranged to engage over the cross-bar I6. This form of organization frequently is desirable in instances where the user does not care to withdraw the free end I9 of the belt from the buckle owing to the possibility of tearing said belt or otherwise marring its usual Fig'. 6 is faniend:elevationallview of the: cross?. bar journaL-as viewedsubstantially along rline;

highly polished surface. In such event, the belt is applied or removed from around the body by I transverse shifting is prevented in the instant device by suitably recessing the cross-bar I6 circumferentially, as at 25, said recesses being spaced and of sufficient width to coincide with the spacing and width of the hook portions 24.-

The recess 25 obviously define opposed pairs of shoulders 26 on the cross-bar I6, which shoulders provide abutting surfaces for the respective edges of the hook portion 22, thereby retaining the hook element in its required position to maintain the overlapping belt ends in alignment. The hook element 23 also may be made oi.V plastics, shaped bone, wood, ber or other form retaining -material. i

The plastic buckle disclosed in Figs. 5 to 7, inclusive, is substantially like that previously described except that in this instance the cross-bar l 21, having an integral tongue 28, is rotatably mounted in th-e buckle frame so that the tongue 28 may be swung into and out of the plane of the buckle frame during the threading of the free end onf the associated belt therethrough. As shown, the cross-bar 21 is circumferentially recessed at 25 to define spaced apart pairs of opposed shoulders 26 for receiving and preventing transverse shifting of the associated hook element 23 on thel other belt` end 22.

As best illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the end portions of the cross-barjZl are of reduced diameter to provide bearings 29, which when assembled with the frame end, seat in suitable journals 3l provided on the rear face of the connecting frame portions I3a and l4a. The journals 3| are open on one side, as at 32, so that they may readily be,

spread during assembly. Such spreading is effected by flexing the connecting frame portions |3a and 14a sufficiently to Widen the opening 32 to admit the bearing portions'29, as shown in Fig. 7. Immediately upon being released, the

journals 3l return to their normal position shown in Fig. 6, and unintentioned removal of the crossbar is prevented.

Although exemplary forms of the improved buckle have been described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in detail, it should be evident that the invention may embody certain modifications to the extent that the overall shape of the buckle may vary in design or contour, that it may be made iiat instead of bowed, and that the tongue may be formed integral with the cross-bar, irrespective of whether the latter is rotatable or rigid, without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A buckle comprising aframe having transverse end portions and connecting side portions defining an opening, a transverse bar integral with the side portions and bisecting said opening, a tongue integral with said bar, said tongue being located substantially midway between the ends of said bar and having its free end located in spaced overlapping relation to one frame end portion, a notch in said frame end portion underlying said free tongue end, and shoulders on Ysaid bar; said shoulders being disposed on opposite -sides of the tongue and providing an abutment for the edges of hook portions of an associate member when the latter is engaged over the'bar Ybetween said shoulders. 2. A buckle comprising a lframe having transverse end portions and connecting side portions defining an opening,ra bar within said frame and bisecting said opening, a tongue integral with said bar adapted to extend through a hole in a belt when one end of the latter is threaded through said frame opening, said tongue being located substantially midway between the ends of said bar and having its free end in spaced overlapping vrelation to one frame end portion, a notch in the said end portion underlying said free vtongue end, and recesses in said bar one on each side of and spaced from the tongue, said recesses each dening a pair of opposed shoulders adapted for abutment by the edges of hook portions carried on the other end of said belt and engaged over the bar in said recesses.

3. A buckle comprising a frame having an opening, a bar integral with the frame and bisecting said opening, a tongue integral with said bar adapted to extend through a hole in a belt when one end of the latter is threaded through said frame, recesses in said bar one on each side of and closely adjacent to the tongue, said recesses-each defining a pair of opposed shoulders adapted for abutment by the edges of hook portions carried on the other end of said belt and engaged over the bar in said recesses.

RUDOLPH E. SCHREIBER. 

